The Canterbury Tales take place in England of the 14th century. It is spring time and a group of 30 people from all social classes is gathering together in the Tabard Inn in Southwark near London to plan their pilgrimage to Becket’s tomb at Canterbury. To kill time during their journey a story-telling contest is created. Each pilgrim has to tell a story and the winner of the best story will get a free supper.
The Canterbury Tales are structured as a frame narrative. The General Prologue mainly builds the frame where all the characters are introduced and the story-telling competition was invented.
Its structure is very simple. After an introduction in lines 1-34, the narrator begins the series of portraits (lines 35-719). Afterwards the Host
suggests the tale-telling contest which is then accepted by the pilgrims (lines 720-821). In the following the pilgrims gather and decide that the Knight should tell the first story.
The frame in which the story is embedded has a long tradition. Boccaccio’s “Decamerone” was for example written in this style and Chaucer read it when visiting Italy.
Originally Chaucer wanted each of the pilgrims to tell two stories on the way to Canterbury and two on the way back. This would have led to 120 single stories, but he never finished this enormous work. In fact there are only 23 tales, some of which are even incomplete.
Table of Contents
1. Plot
2. About the author
3. The language of Chaucer
4. Structure
4.1 Fragment I
4.2 Fragment II
4.3 Fragement III
4.4 Fragment IV
4.5 Fragment V
4.6 Fragment VI
4.7 Fragment VII
4.8 Fragment VIII
4.9 Fragment IX
4.10 Fragment X
5. Characterization techniques
6. Characters
6.1 The Knight
6.2 The Wife of Bath
6.3 The Prioress
6.4 Chaucer
7. Themes and Symbols
7.1 Themes
7.2 Symbols
8. Chaucer’s Retractio
Objectives and Topics
This literary survey examines Geoffrey Chaucer’s "The Canterbury Tales," focusing on the work's structural composition, linguistic significance, and thematic depth. The analysis explores how the narrative frame and character portrayals reflect the social dynamics and moral concerns of 14th-century England.
- Historical context and author biography of Geoffrey Chaucer
- The linguistic evolution of Middle English in literature
- Structural analysis of the frame narrative and tale fragments
- Techniques of psychological and realistic characterization
- Examination of core literary themes and symbolic representations
Excerpt from the Book
The language of Chaucer
After Chaucer had retired about 1390 he began working on the Canterbury Tales: his innovation was that he wanted to create an English poetry that would be accessible to everybody. Until then most of literature was either written in French, the official language, or in Latin, the clerical language. Chaucer wrote his Canterbury Tales in Middle Enlish, which was what people spoke in and around London in his days. This vernacular language was also used by Dante and Boccaccio, who wrote in Italian vernacular.
Middle English is very close to Old English, the language of the Anglo-Saxons, and Norman French, the language of William the Conqueror. Nevertheless students often read the original also because of the language’s beauty and humor of the poetry, which would be lost in translation.
Summary of Chapters
Plot: Describes the pilgrimage of thirty characters to Canterbury and the inception of the story-telling contest.
About the author: Outlines Geoffrey Chaucer's life, his diplomatic career, and the influences of Italian literature on his writing.
The language of Chaucer: Discusses the transition to Middle English and its role in making literature accessible to a broader audience.
Structure: Explains the frame narrative format and provides a breakdown of the various fragments and the pilgrims assigned to each.
Characterization techniques: Analyzes how Chaucer uses physical appearance, profession, and psychological traits to construct his characters.
Characters: Profiles key figures such as the Knight, the Wife of Bath, the Prioress, and the character of Chaucer himself.
Themes and Symbols: Explores fundamental ideas like courtly love, corruption of the church, and the symbolic meaning of springtime and physiognomy.
Chaucer’s Retractio: Examines Chaucer’s final assessment of his moral standing and his request for forgiveness for his worldly writings.
Keywords
Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer, Middle English, Frame Narrative, Pilgrimage, Courtly Love, Social Realism, Physiognomy, Medieval Literature, Church Corruption, Human Comedy, Narrative Structure, Vernacular, Retractio, Literary Symbols
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this paper?
The paper provides a comprehensive survey of Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales," covering its historical background, narrative structure, and thematic analysis.
What are the central thematic fields explored?
The core themes include the prevalence of courtly love, the importance of social community, the corruption within the 14th-century church, and the use of romantic elements.
What is the primary goal of the author?
The goal is to analyze how Chaucer synthesized realism, social critique, and traditional literary forms to create a groundbreaking secular work in the English vernacular.
Which scientific approach is used?
The author employs a literary analysis approach, utilizing historical context, textual structure observation, and comparative study of characters and motifs.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main body treats the structure of the frame narrative, specific character analysis, the significance of language, and the symbolic interpretation of recurring elements.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include Canterbury Tales, Middle English, Frame Narrative, Social Realism, and Courtly Love.
How does the author interpret the role of the "narrator" Chaucer?
The author distinguishes between the historical Geoffrey Chaucer and the "naïve" narrator persona, noting that the latter is used to encourage reader interpretation.
What is the significance of the "Retractio" at the end of the work?
The Retractio serves as a final moral review where Chaucer expresses potential remorse for his "worldly vanities," though the author notes its sincerity remains an open question for the reader.
- Quote paper
- Catharina Kern (Author), 2005, Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/70883
